Supplemental Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net cash used in operating activities	$ (20,560)	$ (34,705)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of fixed assets	(2,698)	(3,793)
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,698)	(3,793)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	992	705
Windfall tax benefits associated with equity-based compensation	72	0
Repayment of long-term debt	(25,000)	(50,000)
Debt issuance costs	0	(4,125)
Other	(263)	(232)
Net payments related to intercompany financing	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(24,199)	(53,652)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(47,457)	(92,150)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	207,052	164,912
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	159,595	72,762
Gentiva Health Services, Inc. [Member]
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net cash used in operating activities	(8,314)	(5,497)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of fixed assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	992	705
Windfall tax benefits associated with equity-based compensation	72
Repayment of long-term debt	(25,000)	(50,000)
Debt issuance costs		(4,125)
Other	364	(37)
Net payments related to intercompany financing	(16,495)	(34,019)
Net cash used in financing activities	(40,067)	(87,476)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(48,381)	(92,973)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	166,140	124,101
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	117,759	31,128
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net cash used in operating activities	(13,821)	(30,212)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of fixed assets	(2,646)	(3,787)
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,646)	(3,787)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Windfall tax benefits associated with equity-based compensation	0
Repayment of long-term debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Other	(28)	(20)
Net payments related to intercompany financing	16,495	34,019
Net cash used in financing activities	16,467	33,999
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net cash used in operating activities	1,575	1,004
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of fixed assets	(52)	(6)
Net cash used in investing activities	(52)	(6)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Windfall tax benefits associated with equity-based compensation	0
Repayment of long-term debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Other	(599)	(175)
Net payments related to intercompany financing	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(599)	(175)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	924	823
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	40,912	40,811
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	41,836	41,634
Eliminations [Member]
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net cash used in operating activities	0	0
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of fixed assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Windfall tax benefits associated with equity-based compensation	0
Repayment of long-term debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Other	0	0
Net payments related to intercompany financing	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0	$ 0